City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 8.3% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $108,300 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,773 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Spartanburg, SC ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Harrisburg, PA | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,297 in Spartanburg | $108,346 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,773/yr.
95 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,773/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Harrisburg → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $60,990 | $66,080 (−14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $114,460 | $124,013 (+13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $77,080 | $83,513 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $82,360 | $89,234 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.